The invention relates to an X-ray diagnostic instrument, such as an X-ray irradiation imaging apparatus, for medical facilities and the like. More specifically, this invention relates to a technique for precisely recognize conditions of the X-ray diagnostic instrument even from a location, away from the X-ray diagnostic instrument.
Conventionally, an X-ray diagnostic instrument used in hospitals includes a portable X-ray instrument for doctor's visit. Such an X-ray instrument includes an X-ray tube device for generating X-ray; a collimator for forming the X-ray in a predetermined shape and radiating the X-ray generated from the X-ray tube device; an X-ray control panel for carrying out operations of X-ray imaging; a supporting portion for vertically and rotatably supporting the X-ray tube device; a cart for carrying the instrument; a brake portion for stopping the instrument at a desired location; and a cassette box for storing a plurality of cassettes therein. The X-ray instrument is a compact and light device, and provides excellent mobility.
An operation of taking an X-ray photograph using the X-ray instrument will be explained. First, a target area of a patient is placed on a cassette taken out from the cassette box. The instrument is moved toward the patient and the X-ray tube device is aligned to irradiate the X-ray on the target area of the patient placed on the cassette. An operator operates the X-ray control panel to prepare the radiography. When the radiography is ready, the operator holds a hand switch connected to the instrument and moves away from the instrument, and then pushes the hand switch to carry out the radiography. Generally, since the operator carries out the radiography for a number of times in a day, the operator operates the hand switch away from the instrument in order to prevent excess X-ray exposure. When the radiography is completed, a doctor diagnoses the patient using an X-ray photograph of the target area of the patient.
However, the conventional instrument with the structure described above has the following problem.
In the conventional instrument, in order to show conditions of the instrument, various lighting display portions are provided in a display space of the X-ray control panel for showing radiography preparation completion, radiography on-going, warning, malfunction and the like. In this case, the respective lighting display portions are small to save the display space of the X-ray control panel. Thus, it is difficult to distinguish which lighting display portion on the X-ray control panel is on from a location away from the instrument. In other word, there has been a problem in distinguishing the conditions of the instrument.
In view of the above problem, the present invention has been made, and an object of the invention is to provide an X-ray diagnostic instrument, wherein the conditions of the X-ray diagnostic instrument can be precisely recognized even from a location away from the instrument.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.